From January to March 2023, the Ardmore group led by the ACT Collective is investigating the sustainable behaviours, social impact, and routine changes we can make regarding food, food production and food waste.
For January we’ve looked into the impact of meat production on global carbon emissions and how small changes to a meatless diet or plant-rich diet can help both ourselves and the planet. Plant-rich diets hold massive potential for helping alleviate climate change and carbon emissions if adopted on a global scale.
Animal agriculture (housing, farming, feeding and slaughtering) is a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. By switching (or relying more heavily on) plant-based foods, the demand can be reduced and in turn reduce land clearing, fertiliser use and greenhouse gas emissions. According to studies (Jalava et al, 2014), shifting away from animal-based foods can add up to 49% more to the global food supply without increasing croplands.
How’s my hamburger hurting us, you may ask:
- Greenhouse Gas Emissions
The food production industry accounts for a whopping 30% of global greenhouse gas emissions and meat products account for around ¾ of that. When land is remodelled for crop production on a mass scale, we lose massive areas for carbon storage (trees, plants, foliage) and therefore release that carbon back up into the atmosphere.
- Inefficient Use of Land
Over a quarter of the world’s entire land is used to graze or grow food for farm animals – food that could have been eaten by people in the first place. 1kg of chicken takes 3.2kg of crops to produce. So, if everyone switched to plant-based diets, we’d need 75% less farmland than we use today.
- Disease and Sickness
You can imagine, when animals are farmed, fed, and slaughtered on such a mass scale for fast food and battery farms, that diseases run rife through the population. These diseases, nitrates and bacterial toxins build up and are released in the waste – leading to contaminated air, water and land in the surrounding areas.
Research published in Nature Sustainability showed that agricultural factors can be linked to more than 25% of all infectious diseases and more than 50% of all zoonotic infectious diseases in humans. These figures will only worsen as intensive agriculture and factory farming continue to expand.
As more research and resources are used in nutritional dietary science – long gone is the traditional ‘food pyramid’ with many experts championing differently balanced diets – including those which are plant-rich.
The pyramid has now become the plate.
Why pick lettuce over lamb I hear you exclaim:
“So, what if I switch out my steaks – how’s that going to help?”
It may seem like one person can’t do much, but our individual choices add up to large-scale changes that can make a real difference to offset climate change and generally improve our health and wellbeing. So, what are some of the key benefits?
- Healthier Body
A 2019 study found that a healthy plant-based diet may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 16% and risk of dying from it by 31%. However, this is not achieved by just cutting out meat and by choosing healthy, well-sourced plant-based alternatives instead. It’s not enough to replace the daily steak with a bowl of highly-processed cereal, but instead loading up on legumes, healthy oils, fruits veggies and whole grains.
- Stronger Brain
These fruits, vegetables and whole grains are rich in polyphenols which have been linked to helping reverse cognitive decline with age, potentially contributing to a slower progression of Alzheimer’s. A study found in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that each additional 25g portion of processed meat eaten per day was associated with a 44% increase in the risk of dementia from all causes. This intake was also associated with a 52% increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
- More Food with Less Land
Shifting to vegetarian and vegan diets has been proven to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions; in the words of Evelyn Perez, Florida International University:
“Producing livestock, including cattle, goats and sheep, for human consumption is the single largest driver of habitat loss and deforestation worldwide.”
“"Reducing animal-based product consumption is realistic if we can offer delicious, convenient, plant-based foods that people want to eat…The power of the market is what drives meat consumption, and the power of the market can equally drive its reduction. Awareness about the damage of meat consumption to personal and environmental health can help change these trends through market-driven conservation."”
FIU Biologist, Brian Machovina
Let’s leave with some actionable ideas:
- Less Meat | More Veg
You don’t have to go vegan to make a difference.
Start slow and small and build upwards. Taking one day or even one meatless meal is a great place to start.
- Source Local | In Season
When buying and consuming products, where possible buy local – especially when it comes to meat. Ireland is one of the best countries for agriculture including well-fed, healthy beef, pork, and lamb products without all the additives. Take a trip to your local butchers before you buy from the frozen section.
- Ditch The Fast Food
If all you do is cut out the fast food, you’re already making a difference – not only are these meals lacking in key nutrients but massively contribute to the global carbon emissions we see on the rise every day.
Now, we’re challenging you, to go forth with this knowledge and shop smarter, buy better, and eat healthier. These changes don’t have to be massive to make a difference, and here within the Ardmore Group, each one of us is looking for more sustainable eating choices moving forward into 2023.
